In July, Microsoft announced the arrival of Microsoft 365: a subscription which combines Office 365 and Windows 10. Microsoft 365 comes in two different subscriptions designed for different business needs: Microsoft 365 Enterprise (combining Office 365 Enterprise and Windows 10 Enterprise, as well as Microsoft Enterprise Mobility and Security features), and Microsoft 365 Business (combining Office 365 Business Premium with security and management features for Office apps and Windows 10 device). This week, we take a closer look at what these two bundles have to offer, how they differ from Office 365 and why they might be the right subscription solution for your company.

Microsoft 365 Business

Who is it for?

Microsoft 365 Business is built for small businesses that have little to no IT resources and need to be able to provide their employees with the productivity and collaborative tools they need whilst still ensuring company data is properly protected. Basically, if you’re a small to medium business or a start-up that doesn’t have any kind of established IT but still rely on IT technology to run your business, Microsoft 365 Business is for you.

What are the key features?

Office suite

Includes fully installed and web versions of Office apps as well as several applications designed specifically for business including Outlook Customer Manager and Bookings.  Outlook and Exchange are also included in the package to enable streamlined email and calendaring.

Cloud file storage

Manage your file anytime, anywhere with cloud storage with 1TB of storage space.

Always-on security

Windows defender protects all Windows 10 devices against malware and enables secure access on both personal and company owned devices.

Collaboration capabilities

In addition to having business class email, calendar and contacts, online meetings can easily be arranged with instant messaging, audio, and HD video chat and conferencing features. Communication within the workplace is further simplified with the help of Microsoft Teams.

Simplified administration and deployment

Device management has never been simpler with single console management, self-service PC deployment (through Windows AutoPilot) and Office apps automatically deployed to Windows 10 PCs.

Highly dependable

Reliability is guaranteed with Microsoft 365 with 99.9% uptime as well as online and phone support available 24/7.

What’s the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365 Business?

The key differences between Office 365 and Microsoft 365 Business are in the areas of device management and security. Whilst Office 365 is not innately secure, Microsoft 365 Business includes blanket security which protects all network connected devices against malware, phishing, and other security threats. In terms of rollout, Microsoft 365 Business has simplified things to make it easier for business owners with few IT resources and no IT staff to manage setup and deployment from a single console.

What are the benefits?

Microsoft 365 Business really is a turnkey IT solution for small to medium sized businesses who rely on their network as a means of communication, productivity, sales or client management but simply don’t have the resources to afford a traditional IT setup or staff. Microsoft 365 Business gives SME’s the professional network tools they need to grow their business as well as a degree of independence and self-sufficiency when it comes to IT management.

What are the requirements?

• Microsoft 365 Business can only run on desktops running 7, 8.1 or 10 Pro and which do not rely on a domain controller.
• Organisations using on-premises Active Directory will need to switch to cloud identity and management
• Creators Update needs to be running of all current Windows 10 PCs

What kind of management is necessary after the subscription is set up?

Once deployed, Microsoft 365 Business is designed to be managed in house by business owners who do not necessarily need to have an extensive knowledge of IT management practices. Whilst this subscription pretty much covers all bases when it comes to software management, hardware maintenance, management and repair will still have to be taken care of by in-house IT staff or through a managed services provider.

Microsoft 365 Enterprise

Who is it for?

As the name suggests, the Microsoft 365 Enterprise subscription is designed for larger companies with more complex network management requirements. Like Microsoft 365 Business, the Enterprise subscription combines Office 365 and Windows 10 in a single package and offers advanced features including identity and access management, analytics, advanced compliance, intranet and advanced security measures.

What are the key features?

Analytics

Microsoft 365 Enterprise lets companies gain greater insights into their network performance with analytics features including Delve, Power BI Pro and MyAnalytics.

Designed for collaboration

This subscription contains everything companies need to collaborate, communicate and share including enterprise grade email and calendaring, group chat software with Microsoft Teams, and both social and intranet capabilities with SharePoint and Yammer.

Advanced security

Network security is taken to the next level in this subscription with sophisticated threat protection in the form of Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics, Windows Defender Antivirus and Device Guard as well as Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection and Office 365 Threat Intelligence.

Identity and access management

Access management and identity protection features in line with enterprise requirements are also included in the form of Azure Active Directory P1 (and P2 for subscribers to the E5 version), Windows Hello and Credential Guard.

Advanced compliance

The compliance and governance requirements common amongst enterprise grade businesses have been taken into account and integrated into the subscription package in the form of Advanced eDiscovery, Customer Lockbox and Advanced Data Governance.

How does it differ from Microsoft 365 Business?

Microsoft 365 Business is ideal for companies who only require a basic IT setup to manage the day-today aspects of running their business. Microsoft 365 Enterprise is a more sophisticated package designed to cater to larger companies who want to minimise double handling and siloed systems to ultimately improve productivity and efficiency across their network.

What are the requirements?

• Microsoft 365 Business can only run on desktops running 7, 8.1 or 10 Pro and which do not rely on a domain controller.
• Organisations using on-premises Active Directory will need to switch to cloud identity and management
• Creators Update needs to be running of all current Windows 10 PCs

What kind of management is necessary after the subscription is setup?

Although Microsoft 365 Enterprise is fully integrated and designed to automate daily maintenance and roll out requirements such as updates and deployment or simplify through cloud based management, the more advanced features of this subscription means it requires a more sophisticated understanding of network engineering than the Business subscription. In addition, the hardware maintenance and repair aspects of network management will still need to be managed either in house by IT staff or by an external managed services provider.

AWD is dedicated to helping our clients find the right IT solutions to help their companies grow. If you are interested in the Microsoft 365 subscriptions but are unsure which option would be best suited to your needs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 1300 855 651.